1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to automatic lighting systems and more particularly to a lighting system readily installed in cabinets and closets. The light or lights are illuminated when the door is opened and extinguished when the door is closed.
Storage cabinets in the home frequently contain various cleaning solvents, cooking oils, insecticides, pesticides, and beverages in close proximity to each other. Serious personal injuries and even deaths of persons have been recorded as the result of picking an unintended item from a storage area.
Standard storage cabinets, found in homes, offices, and factories are not supplied with lighting devices of any type.
The main reason being that a safe, practical, effective cabinet lighting devices have not been previously developed, or offered to the storage cabinet industry, nor to the the general public for aftermarket installation.
Automatic lighting by opening the door, of home appliances such as refrigerators and ovens, has been used for many years. Home appliance lighting utilizes line voltage 120 Volt Alternating Current, at 60 Hz.
Automobile interiors are also lighted automatically upon opening of the doors. Automotive electrical circuits normally utilize 12 Volt, Direct Current.
Line voltage lighting, induces several undesirable characteristics to cabinets, high bulb temperatures, that can be a fire ignition point. The danger of serious electrical shock, when applied to metal cabinets, and the difficulty of installation by persons of nominal mechanical skills, to meet electrical codes.
Most house holds in the U.S. are powered by 120 VAC, 60 Hz. circuits, to utilize 12 VDC in household applications requires a conversion unit of some type, such as a rectifer, inducing unnecessary added cost and the risk of electrical shock, to the purposed lighting system. A low voltage power supply, consisting of a step-down transformer reduces the risk of dangerous electrical shock. The power supply can be internally or externally fused to provide maximum safety to users and electrical components.
A battery pack, consisting of Wet or Dry cells may be substituted for the step-down transformer. Some battery powered cabinet lights have been utilized for cabinet lighting in the past.
2. Description of the Prior Art
J. S. Patton, was granted a U.S. Pat. No. 1,532,935 for a device for Electrically Illuminating Card Cabinets.
From the description given in the the patent, the device has several features that would make the device both a fire and electrical hazzard. i.e. A paper reflector to direct the light beam or pattern. Line voltage to exposed metal to metal contact switch. The system as described is not an easy aftermarket installation.
VandenHoek et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,639 describes a method of distributing electrical power in a hard wired, bolt on system for movable room dividers. This system is an important safety and cost improvement over flush floor mounted, line voltage recepticals. The system as described, could best be installed by a qualified electrician.
Squitieri, U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,638 describes a system for illuminating merchandise in shelves by Back lighting, utilizing small florescent tubes. This is an improvement over incandescent lamps and their inherent problems of electrical consumption, heat and related fire hazzards. This system as described, uses line voltage by means of a plug to a wall out let or extension cord and pertains to display shelves. The system as described is for as built shelf system, not applicable to aftermarket installations, without major alterations to the existing shelves.
A cabinet lighting unit that is currently marketed under U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,957 Canfield; incorporates the switch, power supply, lamp, and reflector in one unit.
This limits the lighting units mounting capabilities to places where a shelf, cabinet wall or ceiling is in close proximity to the door. The light pattern or beam is limited by the mounting position. This system is not readily adaptable to powering more lamps than the one enclosed in its body.
A second cabinet lighting system, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,155 Hildebrand et al., describes a lighting unit that incorporates the switch, lamp and reflector in one unit. The power supply being located at a remote location. The switch/lighting unit as described, attached to an interior cabinet wall in proximity to the cabinet door. The light pattern or beam is also limited by the mounting position of the switch/lighting unit. This invention does not describe controlling more than one switch/lighting unit in either cabinets or closets.
Kitchen and bathroom cabinets are typically of a standard design for width, depth and height. The under sink cabinets sold for kitchens are based on a standard sink size. A high percentage of these cabinets, 97% are of a double door design.
Only the sides of the cabinets provide walls on which to mount either of the afore mentioned switch/lighting systems. None of the afore mentioned cabinets offers a ceiling, the space being filled with either drawers or plumbing devices. Blind kitchen corner cabinets are generally the largest found in a typical home. Some measure as large as 48" wide, and 24" deep, containing 1.backslash.3 or 1.backslash.2 depth shelves running the full width. Corner cabinets generally offer a drawer in the upper portion, below the counter top. The typical blind corner cabinet offers only one wall to accommodate a switch/lamp assembly.
Modern kitchen lighting systems offer excellent counter top and general lighting, but with less than 25% of a floor mounted cabinet space being adaquately illuminated to readily identify objects within the cabinet. Personal experience indicates that when searching for items stored in the cabinets, a shadow is cast into the cabinet, further reducing the available light within the cabinet.
The previously mentioned switch/lamp assemblies do not completely solve the the existing double door bathroom or kitchen sink lighting problems without adding a mounting system. Nor do they provide for additional lamps that might be required for sufficient lighting in large or multi shelved cabinets or closets.
More switch/lamp assemblies could be added if a mounting surface is available, which could induce unnecessary cost and reduce available storage space. No provision is provided for the adjustment of the light pattern or beam to optimize the use of the available light. The lighting systems do not address how they might be adapted to other types of doors in common use, such as pocket or center hinged doors used where space is at a premium.
The previously mentioned lighting systems solve some problems of lighting the interior of cabinets and closets. There is an obvious need for a flexible, cost and space efficient, nonintrusive lighting system, that can solve many other enclosure lighting problems.